Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody has heaped praise on Virat Kohli following India’s remarkable comeback in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 opener on Sunday, October 8th. India defeated Australia in their opening match by six wickets.
In a challenging chase of 200 runs in Chennai, India found themselves in dire straits at 2/3 within just 2 overs, with the Australian pace attack asserting dominance under the floodlights. However, Kohli, in partnership with KL Rahul, adeptly absorbed the pressure and conjured a magnificent partnership of 165 runs, ultimately steering India to a victorious start in the 2023 World Cup.
During an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Tom Moody marvelled at Virat Kohli’s exceptional understanding of the rhythm of ODI cricket, hailing him as the foremost authority in the world.
“Virat Kohli understands the pace of ODI cricket and the pace of ODI cricket understands him. Australia missed the golden opportunity to dismiss one of the game’s greatest ever 50-over players and that really was a significant moment of the match and there was no question about that,” Moody commented.
Kohli was handed a lifeline when he was on a mere 12 runs, courtesy of a catch dropped by Australia’s Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood, bowling with fervour at the Chennai pitch, surprised Kohli with a well-executed bouncer, inducing a top edge that soared towards the short square-leg region. Mitchell Marsh, converging from mid-wicket, collided with Alex Carey, leading to a catastrophic miscommunication that allowed the ball to slip through their grasp.
Tom Moody Praises KL Rahul For Reducing Pressure On Virat Kohli
Tom Moody also lauded the role played by KL Rahul, emphasizing how his presence on the crease alleviated the burden on Kohli, particularly during the early stages of the innings. KL Rahul joined Virat Kohli when India lost three wickets with just two runs on the board.
“KL Rahul came in and took the pressure away from Kohli to a certain extent and that’s what good partnerships do, because at times when things are not running smoothly for you, you want someone to come in and apply pressure like KL Rahul did at times. He hit Zampa for a couple of boundaries in the spinner’s first over and small wins like that shift the momentum of the match in your favour,” Moody concluded.
KL Rahul and Virat Kohli together stitched a partnership of 165 runs and they played sensibly enough to take the Indian team over the line. Virat Kohli scored 85 runs off 116 deliveries and KL Rahul was not out after playing a knock of 97 runs in 115 balls. Both these batters showcased the true meaning of One-day cricket during the India-Australia game.
India will now face Afghanistan on 11th October at the Arun Jaitely Stadium in Delhi. On paper, it is an easy challenge for India as Afghanistan does not have a good record against India but Afghanistan is a team that is capable of pulling off some major upsets, so India should not take them lightly.
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Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody has heaped praise on Virat Kohli following India’s remarkable comeback in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 opener on Sunday, October 8th. India defeated Australia in their opening match by six wickets. In a challenging chase of 200 runs in Chennai, India found themselves in dire straits at 2/3 within
The post IND Vs AFG: Virat Kohli’s ODI Genius Exposed By Former Cricket Coach Tom Moody appeared first on CricketAddictor.
